Railway-switch-controlling apparatus



- March 19, 1929. L. E. SPRAY RAILWAY SWITCH CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1928 INV ENTORI Lasts! En ar,

Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

- UNITED sr rEs LESTER E. SPRAY, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA,

essreivoa "To THE UNION swrrcn & SIGNAL COMPANY, or SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A coaroaa'rroufor PENNSYLVANIA.

RAiLwAY-sw icrr-CONTROLLING APPARATUS.

Application filed April ,17, 1928. Serial No. 270,399.

My invention relates to railway switch controlling apparatus, and particularly to apparatus of the type involving a polarized relay controlled by a manually operated polechanger, which relay in turn causes movements of the switch to normal and reverse positions.

One feature of my present invention is the provision of two neutral relays controlled by the polarized relay, and in turn controllmg the switch in such manner that if the position of the switch does not correspond tothe position of the polarized relay, the switch will immediately be operated to such corresponding positio I I will describeone form .ofapparatus embodying. my invention, andwill then point out a the novel features thereof in claims.

:matic view showing one form embodying my invention.

The accompanying drawing is a diagramof apparatus Referring to the drawing, the reference character S designates a railway switch which is actuated by an electricmotor M through the medium of mechanism which forms no part of my presentinvention, and which is indi cat-ed. by a dash li'ne16'. The motor Mis controlled by a normal neutral relay D 3, and'a reverse neutral relay D and these neutral relays are in turn controlled bya main relay G which is polarized, that is, responsive. toreversals of the polarity of the. current with i which it is supplied. The mainrelay C, is

controlled by a pole-changer A operated bya manual lever L having normal and reverse positions corresponding to the normal and re verse positions of the switch S.

Electric current for the operation of all. parts ;of the apparatus is furnished by a battery B, the terminals of which are connected with line wires N and P, respectively, and

these linewires extend from the point at which the lever L is located to the point at.

which the switch S islocate Operatively connected with the switch S is a normal contact 2'2 which contact is closed when. and only when the switch is in the full normal position. The switch also operates a reverse contact 22", whichis closed when.

and only when the switch is in the full reverse position. The switch operates a third, or intermediate contact 33, which is open in the full normal and the full reverse positions of the switch, but is closed when the switch is in any intermediate position. lVhen the switch is operated by a switch and lock mechanism ofany of the usual types, contact 22f will be closed only when the switchis locked-in the normal position, contact 2-2" will be closed only when the'switch is locked in the reverse position, while contact 3-3 will' be open when the switch is locked in either. the.

normal or the reverse position and will be closed when the switch is unlocked aswe'll as when the switch is in any intermediate position. The operation of the apparatus is as follows: As shown in the drawing, the switch S is in its normal position and lever L is also in its normal.pos1t1'on,so that the mam relay C is energized in the normal direction. The neu-' tralrelays D and D 'are both open, for. reasons which will appearhereinafter. I

WVhen the operator desires toi-reverse' the switch S, he moves the lever L to the reverse position, whereupon the main relay C issupplied with current 'ofreverse polarity, withthe result that this relay becomes energized The reverse relayv in the reverse direction.

D then becomes'energized, the circuit being from line wire P,through front contact 4 of relay C, polar contact 7 of relay Gin the re- -verse position,'normal switch contact 2-2,

front contact f relay C, contact 6 in there verse position, back contact 10 of relay D, and the winding of relay D to line wire N. With relay D energized, the switch'motor M becomes energized, the circuit being from line wire P, through field winding 15, contact 11 ofrelay D armature 14:, and contact 12 of relay D to line wire N. The relativerdirections of flow of current through the field and armature of 'themotor M are then such as to cause this motor to movethe switch to its reverseposition. As soon as the operationof the switch mechanism. begins, the normal co-n-,

tact 33 opens and Ysupplyof current to the switch motor M is relay D to line wire N.

discontinuedh ,To restore the switch to its normal position, the operatorreturns lever L to the nor-. mal position, with the result that relay C again becomes energized in the normal direct-ion. Normal 7, relay D then becomes energized, the circuit'being irom line wire P, through'front contact l of relay 0, contact 7 in the normal position, reverse switch contact 2-2", contact 5 of relay .0, contact 6 .in the normal position, back contact '13 of relay D and the winding of The circuit for the switch motor. 'M is then from line wire P, through fieldwinding 15, contact 8 of-relay D armature 14, and contact 9 of relay D to the line wire N. The direction of current through the field winding is the same as before, but the direction in which the a current flows through armature 14 has been normal position.

; 2-2 opens, and

reversed, so that the motor M is operated in such direction as to restore the switch to'its As soon as the switch mechanism begins to move, the reverse contact the intermediate contact 3-3 closes, whereupon, an auxiliary circuit for relay D becomes closed, this circuit'heing from line wire P, through contact 3-'3 contact 5 of relay C, contact 6 in the normal position, contact 13 of relay D and the Wind ing of relay 1) to line wire N. When the switch reaches its full normal position, contact 3" 'de energized, and the parts of the apparatus are then restored to their normal conditions opens, so that relay .D becomes I- will now assume that relay C is ener gized in the normal direction and that switch S is accidentally moved away from its normal position. The intermediate switch conw1ll' immediately become closed,

. so that normal relay D will become ener- -'gized,-due to its auxiliary circuit hereinbefore traced, .with the result that switch S will immediately berestored to its normalposition. Similarly, when relay C is energizedin reverse'direction, it switch S should be accldentallymoved away from its'reverse position, the reverse relay D Wlll be closed,

g'h intermedue to its auxiliary circuit throu diate contact 3 with the result that the switch will immediately be restored toits reverse posit-ion.

= It.will be noted that the circuit forrelay' 'D includes a back contact 18 of relay D and thatthecircuit for relay D includes a back contact 10 of relay D These back contacts make it impossible for both relays D and .D to be simultaneously energized.

Although, I have herein shown and de{ scribed only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes andv modlficat-ions may bemade relay D therefore, be- 7 comes tie-energized, with the result that the I claim is; v

1. In combination-,a mam relay responsive to reversals olt' thepolarity of current sup therein within the scope oil the appended scope or my invention;

Having thus described my invention, what plied thereto, means for supplying said relay withcurrent of normal or reverse polarity, a

' normal relay and a reverse relay, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions,

means for energizing said normal relay when said main relay is energized in normal direction and said switch is in any position except its normal position, means for energizing said reverse relay when said main relay is energized in reverse direction andsaid switch I, 1s 111 any position except its reverseposltlon, and means for moving sald switch to 1ts normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse relay is energized.

2.- .In combination, a main relay responsive to reversals of the polarity ofcurrent supplied thereto, means'for supplying said relay with current of normal or reverse polarity, a normal relayand a, reverse relay, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, means for energizlng said normal'relay when said main relay is energizedinnormal direction and said switch is-in any position except its normal positlon, means for energizing claims without departing from the spirit and h said "reverse relaywhen said main relay is energized in reverse direction and said switch is in any'position except its reverse position,

normal relay and a reverse relay, a railway.

switch having normal and: reverse positions, three, contactsoperated by said switch, the

first or which is closed only when the switch is in its normal position and the second'of which is closed-only when the 'switchis-in its reverse position and the third of which is closed only when the switch is inintermediate positions, means vfor. energizing said normal relay when said'main" relay "isin normal position and either said reverse or said intermediate contactis closed, means for en-.

ergizing' said reverse relaywhen said main relay is in reverse position and either said normal or said lnterm'edlate contact s closed,

and means for moving sai'dswitch to its normal or its reverse positionaccording as said normal or said reverserelay 1s energlzetl.

4; In combinatlon, amam relay responsive to reversals of the polarity of current 'supplied thereto, means for supplying said relay With current of'n'ormal or reverse polarity, a normal relay and a reverse relay a of which is closed only when the switch is in.

intermediate positions, a main circuit for said normal relay including a first normal contact of said main relayand said reverse switch contact as well as a second normal contact of said main relay, an auxiliary circuit for said normal relay including said intermediate switch contact and said second normal contact of the main relay but not the first main relay normal contact or the reverse switch contact, a main circuit for said reverse relay including a first reverse contact of said main relay and said normal switch contact as well as a second reverse contact of the main relay an auxiliary circuit for said reverse relay including said intermediate switch contact and said second reverse contact of the main relay but not the first main relay reverse contact or the normal switch contact, and means for moving said switch to 7 its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse relay is energized.

5. In combination, a main relay responsive plied thereto, means forsupplying said relay with current of normal or reverse polarity, a

normal relay and a reverse relay, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, means for energizing said normal relay when said main relay is energized in normal directionand said switch is in any position except its normal position means for energizing said reverse relay when said main relay is energizedin reverse direction and said switch is in to reversals of the polarity of current sup- 7 any position except its reverse positionnneans for preventing said normal and reverse relays from being energized simultaneously,

and means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse relay is energized.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

' LESTER E. SPRAY. 

